Non-SCFA Microbial Metabolites Associated with Fiber Fermentation and Host Health

Dietary fiber is degraded by commensal gut microbes to yield host-beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), but personalized responses to fiber supplementation highlight a role for other microbial metabolites in shaping host health. In this review we summarize recent findings from dietary fiber intervention studies describing health impacts attributed to microbial metabolites other than SCFAs, particularly secondary bile acids (2°BAs), aromatic amino acid derivatives, neurotransmitters, and B vitamins. We also discuss shifts in microbial metabolism occurring through altered maternal dietary fiber intake and agricultural practices, which warrant further investigation. To optimize the health benefits of dietary fibers, it is essential to survey a range of metabolites and adapt recommendations on a personalized basis, according to the different functional aspects of the microbiome.